Milan Melindo battles Javier Mendoza for second world title attempt

The 27 year old flyweight contender Milan Melindo will be on the road to challenge Javier Mendoza’s IBF world light Flyweight title at Campo Nuevo Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

Melindo (32-1, 12 KO’s) who hails from Cagayan de Oro, will attempt to win a world title at the lower weight class this time . He’s campaigning at the flyweight division in his previous bouts. But he moved back down to flyweight in his latest outing against Saul Juarez, whom he decisions in 12 rounds. Also in this fight he will move back down to light flyweight’s 108 lbs limit. This will be Melindo’s second attempt for world title.

The then undefeated Melindo, who now resides in Cebu City, got his first opportunity to fight for world title at flyweight’s 112 lbs. limit in 2013. He was pitted against number 8 pound-for-pound best today in the sport of boxing according to the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board in Juan Francisco Estrada.

Melindo started well in the first half of the fight. But he was outworked in the later rounds and was down in round 11 en route to unanimous decision loss.

In his second bid for the world title, Melindo will be fighting in front of Mendoza’s hometown crowd. It’s perceived that Melindo needs to score a knockout in order to secure a win. But Edito “Ala” Villamor, ALA’s head trainer believes that there’s no need for KO. But “he (Melindo) needs to win impressively in every round” reiterates Villamor in Filipino.

Both Melindo and Mendoza registered 107.2 lbs on the scales during the official weigh-in on Friday.